A TAMESIDE councillor has lodged an objection to a business park development that would be built on his ward’s doorstep.
Bredbury Employment Park, which those behind it say would deliver generate up to £240 million in social value over the next 10 years, may lie in the Stockport area.
But its proximity to Haughton Dale Nature Reserve has raised fears it would overshadow the area of Denton.
And Denton South councillor George Newton has formally objected to the proposal.
FI Property Group, which has applied to Stockport Council for planning permission, says several updates have been made in response to feedback from a public consultation.
Plans also say it would feature a 39-acre ecology zone, which will remain undeveloped to provide access for visitors and local residents.
But that is not enough for Cllr Newton, who has lodged his objection on nine different grounds.
They include inappropriate development in the Green Belt, a failure to prioritise brownfield land and the ‘severe and disproportionate’ traffic impact it would have on Denton.
Cllr Newton also tells of his fears for Haughton Dale Nature Reserve and the Tame Valley, writing: “The application site connects directly to a wider network of green infrastructure.
“The proposal demonstrates a clear lack of regard for these cross-boundary environmental assets.
“The proposed “ecology zone” is confined to the application site, in Stockport Metropolitan Borough only, and does not address wider landscape-scale impacts.”
How it would impact on public rights of way, a failure to address cross-border effects, its scale and limited benefits also form the objection.
Cllr Newton adds: “Despite the clear and direct impacts on neighbouring communities in Denton, Tameside, the application fails to demonstrate meaningful mitigation or collaborative planning.
“While consultation has taken place, there is little evidence that concerns raised by neighbouring authorities have been listened to or addressed.
“My ward lies immediately adjacent to the proposed development and will be directly and significantly affected by its impacts
“While I recognise the importance of economic development and employment growth across Greater Manchester, this proposal represents a fundamentally unbalanced scheme that places disproportionate harm on neighbouring communities – particularly Denton and Haughton Green – without corresponding benefit.
“As was the case with the previous proposal, an arbitrary dotted line down the middle of the River Tame means that residents on one side of the river have a say, and will benefit from tax revenues and mitigation schemes, whereas residents on the other side do not have a say, and have all the harm without benefit.
“This proposal represents a significant and unjustified incursion into the Green Belt, driven by speculative employment demand rather than clear necessity.
“It would industrialise a sensitive landscape, harm the ecological integrity of the Tame Valley and Haughton Dale and place substantial transport and environmental burdens on Denton residents, who are excluded from this process by an arbitrary political dotted line.”
Tim Knowles, founder and managing director at FI Property Group, said: “Our goal is to create an environment that not only meets the needs of businesses, but also enriches the local community, providing opportunities for people to access green space and community facilities to support health and wellbeing, as well as delivering employment and skills opportunities.”